I Guess I'll See You Next Lifetime
by DynnaChae
Summary: An accident happens in present-day Okiyama, causing Tenchi to realize something from the past and awaken Ryoko's lost memories -LAST CHAPTER IS UP!-
1. The Elite and the Space Pirate

"Of the elites, sir, Tenchi is the best!" A frail, panicky man whimpered as he jogged behind a fuller, larger man with a commanding voice.  
  
"Of the elites, Pawel, Tenchi is my grandson!" The man stopped in his tracks, causing Pawel to bump into him.   
  
The smaller man fell over, dropping all his papers and his glasses. As he shuffled around frantically, the Bounty Air Elite office administrator searched for his fallen glasses. When he finally pressed his fingers against the smooth glass, he placed them back on and gathered up his paper. "Commander Wantanabe, Sir, no one can take her down but him."  
  
The commander turned around, a bit more annoyed than he was before. "And what about his good-for-nothing father, Noboyuki? Isn't he a top elite as well?"  
  
Pawel sweatdropped "Noboyuki was injured when he tried to stick his hand in a soda machine. He took sick leave three weeks ago and hasn't been back yet. Marriel claims she saw him at Costa Florista, chasing after girls."  
  
Commander Wantanabe sighed "Most fathers boast about their sons, and I deny mine. I don't want to send Tenchi out after this bounty... but it seems like I have no choice, ne Pawel?"  
  
Pawel's shoulders relaxed as he sympathized with the chief. No one ever came up against this bounty and lived. "We'll have special back up units ready for action if he needs them. They'll follow at a safe range and break off before anyone becomes suspicious. We'll do our best to protect your grandson, sir."  
  
The Commander smiled softly. He was a very kind-hearted man with soft, gray eyes and a clean-cut beard. His graying hair always stay slicked back and off his tanned face. He nodded and waved his hand to approve Pawel's requests. "Bring my grandson home safe, Pawel. Have him come to my office in an hour."  
  
Pawel was so happy that he saluted, forgetting the bundles of papers in his hands. As papers flew everywhere, a particular target was having some fun...  
  
~.~.~.~.~.~.  
  
A victim of hers never found themselves cursing their misfortune, but in awe of her maneuverability. She was graceful, though she was malicious sometimes. Her feline eyes would glisten with a sort of happy vibrancy as she'd captivate your vessel and strip you clean of everything valuable. It was only after she left you stranded that you became aware that you weren't graced by an angel, but by a deamoness.  
  
Ryoko, as they called her, was an impossible catch. She never meant to kill anyone that came after her. She'd claim they stepped in the way of an energy blast. She had the sort of charisma that could con you straight out of your life earnings. She could sell an inverted cross to the pope if she wanted.  
  
Despite all that she had (which was all that she stole), Ryoko started to consider the loneliness of her ship painful. There would never be anyone to come home and celebrate her victories. No one she could share a glass of sake with and divulge her next plan to while they lounged in a bathhouse she'd taken over for the night. She shrugged off the feeling and placed a gem she'd snatched from an emperor on a pillow made for a crown.  
  
She threw herself onto her bed. As she sank into the fluffy blankets that covered the bed, she sighed and stared up at the ceiling. On board the Ryo-ohki, she never had to be on the defensive. Curling up into a ball, she closed her eyes and sank into her thoughts.  
  
~.~.~.~.~.~.  
  
Tenchi sat across the table gazing into the eyes of another. His mind, full of concentration, focused on one thing and one thing alone - those eyes across from his. He tried to form words from his mouth, but none of the right words ever came. It was time to try this once more. He'd get it right if it killed him. "I think I love you."  
  
"No."  
  
Tenchi dropped head so that it banged on the table. The man across from him laughed heartily as all of Tenchi's friends clinked their bottles together and joked about Tenchi's error.  
  
Elite Officer Tenchi sighed in defeat as he left his head on the table. His best friend, Hein, reached over and pulled him up by his hair. "I'm touched, Tenchi, really I am, but if you're going to tell me like that, I don't love you." Hein let go of Tenchi's head as it hit the table once more.  
  
"Come on! You gotta help me with this! I'm supposed to propose to Kozue tomorrow and I don't know how to do it! You said you'd help!" Tenchi almost whined.  
  
"And I will, once you realize that being totally serious when you propose is only going to make her feel uneasy!" Hein smiled. "Look! Just look her in the eyes and say what you feel!"  
  
Tenchi sat back and took a bottle of beer from his friend. While they all whooped and hollered over him, Tenchi wondered if he said what he felt about Kozue, would really be for the better. In terrible actuality, Tenchi didn't want to marry Kozue. His grandfather had taken a liking to her and hoped, so badly, that they would be married. Tenchi adored his grandfather and wanted to make him happy. He thought that if he married that girl, he'd make his grandfather happy. He never thought to make himself happy, though.  
  
"Ok ok I'll be Kozue again." Hein laughed. In a girlish voice he began "Tenchiiiiiii you don't love me! You never buy me flowers! How come you never cook me dinner! Tenchiiii all you do is hang out with your stupid friends! You never have time for me! Your grandfather makes you work work work! Tenchiiiiiii!"  
  
All of Tenchi's friends doubled over laughing.  
  
"Let's get married, Kozue!" Tenchi blurted out.  
  
"No..."  
  
Tenchi's head hit the table again and Hein and everyone else laughed out loud heartily.  
  
~.~.~.~.~.~.  
750 years later...  
~.~.~.~.~.~.  
  
Ryoko lay on one of Washu's hospital tables. Usually she wouldn't agree to being there, but she lay unconscious on the bed. Her side was bandaged, but blood managed to navigate it's way through all the rags and drip constantly, drawing life from her with every drop.  
  
Beside her lay a young Jurian prince. His head, bandaged the same way, wasn't bleeding as badly, but he did sustain major brain damage. Both Tenchi and Ryoko were wounded badly and were in comas. Washu worried that they wouldn't make it. When she worried, Aeka, Sasami, Yosho and Katsuhito also felt they should worry.   
  
Washu took Ryoko's hand and pressed it to her own beating heart. It was painful for any mother to watch her daughter's body fade from life to death. She gripped her hand tighter and wept softly.  
  
~.~.~.~.~.~.  
750 years earlier...  
~.~.~.~.~.~.  
  
Tenchi lay back in bed, staring at the ceiling. Beside him, Kozue slept soundly - almost purring like a kitten. She curled up under his arm and wrapped her own arms around his waist. Tenchi rested his arm around her shoulders and sighed.  
  
Ryoko pulled away from the man she had laid beside for a while. He reached out to pull her back but she slapped his hand away and walked to the shower. It was another love affair in vain. She hadn't found what she was searching for. There was no companionship in that man. Only the will to boast his manliness by flaunting his "power". It made Ryoko sick to search for fulfillment this way. She never wanted to drop her standards just to find what she thought to be missing. Sometimes, just sometimes, the men she went back to their rooms with, she thought she loved and loved her too. It wasn't until the night was over that she realized that people could say anything they pleased just to get what they want.   
  
"This is the last one..." Ryoko tilted her head back as the warm shower washed over her face and through her hair. She wouldn't be just another object to every man in the galaxy. She clenched her fingers together to ball the tightest fist and then slowly released. She would've cried if she felt it would resolve something. Instead, she just let the water wash away another night wasted...  
  
End of Ch. 1  
~~~~~~~~~~~~  
A/N: Dunno what possessed me to start this one. But I double guarantee this is only the surface. Yes Yes! Dynna has gotten herself into yet ANOTHER chaptered story, as much as she hates writing them - as much as she hates reading them. But maybe it won't be so bad. I might bounce back and forth through time until I can focus on one time (750 yrs earlier or 750 yrs later). Enjoy!  
  
Oh yea! I do NOT! Own Tenchi Muyo! or any of it's characters. They are all products of AIC and Pioneer. 


	2. Love and Malice

Chapter 2  
  
Sometimes Tenchi was glad his grandfather called him to work in the mornings. It seemed easy for him to kiss Kozue on the lips and run off to work without more than a goodbye to say to her. This morning, Tenchi waited by the phone like a dog that was waiting to be let outside for hours. He tapped his foot impatiently and sneaked secret glances over his shoulder at Kozue, who was reading the morning paper.  
  
"Oh that filthy demon, Ryoko, took over another large vessel carrying tons and tons of carrots. I wonder if she really likes carrots that much?" Kozue laughed and flipped the page.  
  
...  
  
Ryoko scowled as Ryo-ohki bounced happily among the falling carrots. "Hurry up and eat! Geesh! Next time just ask and we'll get some real food!"  
  
Ryo-ohki polished off a crate by the time Ryoko has finished nagging.  
  
...  
  
Tenchi found himself laughing a bit. He didn't know why. As he hoped and prayed, the phone rang with such alarm. It didn't even ring a full second before Tenchi took the phone and addressed the person on the other line.  
  
"Top Elite Officer Wantanabe Tenchi speaking!" He clutched the phone with sweaty hands and gulped as Kozue shot him a confused look.  
  
"Miboy! You don't have to speak to your grandfather as if I'm some sort of tyrant! I need you in my office as soon as possible. There's a mission of importance that only you can take! How's that girl of yours? Hmm? Tenchi? Hello? Tenchi?!"  
  
Little did Commander Wantanabe know, Tenchi had dropped the phone and dashed onto his ship by the time he heard "Miboy!" which is what the Commander called Tenchi since birth.  
  
With a sigh of relief, Tenchi tied his necktie and sank into the seat of Catoblepas, his ship. He wondered if he even stopped to kiss Kozue goodbye before he dashed out their apartment and into his ship. His grandfather appeared on the viewer with wide-eyes.   
  
"There was no rush, Miboy!" The Commander laughed. "You could've came in during the afternoon if you wanted."  
  
Tenchi swallowed hard and smiled "No, that's OK. I wanted to get out of the house anyway. Perhaps you can brief me on the mission. Maybe I can do a little research before I get to your office, Sir."  
  
The Commander sat back with pride. "Very well, then. You've been chosen to go after Ryoko the space pirate."  
  
The color flushed from Tenchi's face at record speeds.  
  
"I know it sounds dangerous, but I would've never agreed to it if I knew you'd be in any danger. You'll have enough backup units to have your own army. Tenchi, I'm trusting you to come home safe to me and your idiot father and your beautiful fiancée. Oh! By the way! Congrats on that proposal!"  
  
As if he had more color, Tenchi's body soon looked transparent as any other pigment ran straight from his face. "But... but but but I didn't propose!"  
  
"I know I know, Miboy. General Hein came in and told me, today, that you were proposing to her later. Congrats!" The Commander grinned.  
  
Tenchi loosened his tie and waved his grandfather away. "Catoblepas."  
  
A hologram of a three-headed dog appeared from Tenchi's monitor. "Sir?"  
  
"Pull up everything you've got on the space pirate Ryoko."  
  
"Yes sir." The hologram faded and information upon information about Ryoko shot across the screen at lightning speeds.   
  
Tenchi sat back. He'd never seen what Ryoko looked like. He just knew she was a menace. He always pictured her to look somewhat like Kozue with a sneer. Shaking the thoughts from his head, he began researching Ryoko.  
  
Ryoko sank into Ryo-ohki's seat and sighed. Resting her arms behind her head, she stared out into space. There was so much happening without her that it became depressing. The crystal controls of the ship floated around freely until Ryoko reached out and pulled one close to her. She inspected her face in the crystal. Kagato hadn't bothered her all month. She felt grateful for it, though she knew it would come to an end. Her face was the same as it has always been. She remembered Kagato holding her face and pulling it closer. He'd tell her that she belonged to him and she could never have anything she ever wanted. All she ever wanted was someone to love her. The way that strange woman loved her when she came out of the tube. Ryoko vaguely remembered collapsing into her arms and being sleepy. The woman stroked her hair and smiled softly.   
  
Slowly opening her eyes, Ryoko realized she fell asleep. She let go of the crystal and walked towards one of the larger windows of the ship. She leaned against the glass and sighed.  
  
Tenchi let his airship ride on cruise control as he flipped through the last bulletin about Ryoko. She was so organized to him. He secretly envied her abilities, though he knew he would apprehend her and forever be perfect in his grandfather's eyes. All his life, he lived to impress his grandfather. After a while, he started to wonder when he'd start caring about himself. Now he was deeper than ever. Kozue was expecting him to propose tonight. His grandfather was expecting him to propose and his father hoped and prayed night and day that Tenchi would marry her. Everyone would be so pleased, but would he?  
  
Sighing, Tenchi piloted his ship onto the landing pad and sulked his way to his grandfather's office.  
  
~.~.~.~.~.~  
750 years later...  
~.~.~.~.~.~  
  
Washu let the door close behind her then leaned back against where the door faded. She hadn't let anyone come into the lab since their stats started dropping rapidly. Everyone spent every waking minute in the livingroom, hoping that Washu would come out and let them know how Tenchi and Ryoko were.   
  
Washu only looked away and lowered her head.  
  
There were a few gasps, but it was Aeka's cry that broke the silence in the house. Sasami wrapped her arms around her big sister and let her weep on her shoulder.   
  
"They're not... dead." Washu barely whispered.  
  
Everyone slowly exhaled.   
  
"But they're not doing well, either..." She finished. The little scientist turned to enter the door that had appeared in front of her.  
  
"Little Washu?"   
  
"Yes?" Washu turned around.  
  
"How is Ryoko?"  
  
Washu's eyes seemed to dull a bit, "She's not so well, Aeka. She's not well at all."  
  
"You're a good mother, Washu." Aeka sat down again.  
Washu entered the lab and wept into her hands.  
  
End of Ch 2.  
  
It's jumping back and forth, I know bear with me. It'll all come together soon! ~.^ 


	3. The Strangest Friends

Chapter 3:  
  
~.~.~.~.~.~  
750 yrs earlier  
~.~.~.~.~.~  
  
Tenchi sat at a bar by himself, twirling a shot glass idly. At the bottom of the glass, barely a drip of sake went in circles at Tenchi followed it with his eyes. He wished he could evaporate like that drop of sake, instead, he would have to get up and come home and propose and end his life. It didn't seem fair to him at all.   
  
"Is that a new way to drink sake?" A deep, charismatic voice asked with a hint of humor.  
  
"Nah, I'm just thinking..." Tenchi didn't even pick his head up to acknowledge the person sitting beside him.  
  
"Well is that a good way to think? I think I might try?" The woman rested her head in her hand and twirled a glass of sake with him.  
  
Tenchi picked his eyes up to look at the girl twirling the sake. "It's not helping me at all, I'm just doing it to pass time..."  
  
"Oh good, I didn't want to break it to you that it wasn't doing anything for me either." She gave a fanged grin.  
  
In the darkness of the bar, with it's bizarre strobe lights, Tenchi could barely make out the person beside him. Though, he noticed her golden eyes. They were deep and reflected the light in the most beautiful way. He felt his face grow warm as he blushed, being captivated by just the simple beauty of her cat-like eyes. He watched as her lips parted and she revealed a fanged grin. Her fangs didn't look menacing, they seemed almost playful and childish. She donned a tight catsuit of black and red, but wrapped a sash around her waist as to not reveal all of her curves. It seemed like the light focused on her and her alone as he took in her figure with his eyes. He smiled softly and went back to twirling the glass.  
  
"What brings you here? This is a bad place for a beautiful woman like yourself. You should be careful and travel with an escort." Tenchi started twirling the glass in the opposite direction.  
  
The woman placed a sleeping cabbit on the bar. "I have my escort. Though, she's moody and sometimes I end up watching her instead of her watching me."  
  
The two glanced at each other briefly and laughed.   
  
"Can I buy you another drink, Miss...?" He sat up. "I didn't get your name."  
  
The woman thought for a moment and scanned the room. She looked him up and down and noticed the holster of his gun. Panning her eyes upwards, she caught a glimpse of his badge, pinned at his waist. Without bringing attention to herself she huffed and turned to eye her glass. "Hakubi. That's my name."  
  
"Miss Hakubi, may I buy you another drink?" Tenchi looked a bit hopeful and a substantial amount desperate.  
  
Ryoko almost took pity on him. He didn't realize who he was, but he was a gentleman, and that's why she came here. "Sure. Just a glass of sake, please."  
  
Tenchi ordered two glasses of sake and handed one to her. "Ever felt afraid to go home?"  
  
Ryoko tensed at the question. As far as home was concerned to her, she was chained up to a wall at "home" and whipped by Kagato. Sometimes for nothing, sometimes for everything. Her shoulders slumped as she thought of home. Her eyes searched the shiny bar and she sighed slowly. "All the time."  
  
Tenchi smiled softly "Home can't be that bad. I fashion you have a nice house with a good husband."  
  
His words pierced his heart. She never considered her dwelling to be a home and Kagato to be a good husband. She ran her fingers through her hair and looked at him from the corner of her eyes. "Nah, not really. I move around too much to be home. When I go home, I rather move around."  
  
"Home is bad when you have to go home to someone you don't love..." Tenchi gazed at the bottom of his sake glass.  
  
Ryoko's heart slowed it's pace as she sent her heart out to him. In a moment, she pulled it back and focused her thoughts. After all, he was her enemy. She'd have to be on guard, but yet, his words still impacted her and she wanted to talk to him as if they were just friends. "It's not a home then, it's just a place to live. Home is where the heart is."  
  
"I guess I never go home, then..." Tenchi swallowed.   
  
"Me neither..." Ryoko started twirling her sake glass.  
  
They sat there in silence just staring at the counter. Tenchi would move his jaw around a few times and gaze down at his ring finger. Ryoko rubbed Ryo-ohki's stomach and breathed softly. They picked their heads up and gazed at each other at the same time. Blushing slightly, they turned away from each other.  
Ryoko was aware to keep her guard up. It would be bad to trust this man and put her freedom into her his hands. Her desperation got the better of her though, she felt a bond with him just from their talk about home. She wanted to talk more, but she was afraid to give her identity away.  
  
"Do you dance?"  
  
"Hmm?" Ryoko picked her head up.  
  
"Do you like to dance?" Tenchi blushed a bit.  
  
"I'm no good. But it's never stopped me before." Ryoko laughed to herself.  
  
"Well, would you like to dance with me?" Tenchi stood up and held out his hand.  
  
His extended hand made her think a world of things. First, he could take it and slap cuffs on it. Cart her off to jail where Kagato would only manipulate her mind and make her wreak havoc through the precinct. Or he could really be taking her hand just to dance with her. She tried her chances and placed her hand in his.  
  
~.~.~.~.~.~  
750 yrs later  
~.~.~.~.~.~  
  
Washu smiled softly as she placed her small hand in Ryoko's. The deamoness responded by faintly gripping Washu's hand. Washu had to bend her fingers into a holding position, but Ryoko could keep them that way. It had been months since Ryoko could even respond to Washu's touch.  
  
On the other side of the scientist, Sasami told Tenchi all about how she had been keeping watch over Tenchi's carrot garden and how Ryo-ohki kept eating them all. She kept telling him happy stories, hoping that one day he'd laugh. Aeka started to help with more of the housework while Noboyuki and Yosho spent time in the shrine trying to keep things in order.  
  
Washu used her other hand to stroke the back of Ryoko's hand. Her bruises had faded and her soft skin had been restored. It would be only a matter of time before Ryoko would be well enough to regenerate and heal herself completely. The wound on her side had closed up for the most part. Washu finished the job with stitches and everything was healing just fine. Tenchi was doing well, relying on Sasami and Tsunami's powers to give him strength. When the time was right, Tsunami would activate the symbol on Tenchi's forehead and allow him to heal completely as well. For now, the two just needed to rest up and regain their energy.  
  
~.~.~.~.~.~  
750 yrs earlier  
~.~.~.~.~.~  
  
"You've got it! Step right, step left and right and left and right! Now do it with the rhythm! Wow you're better than you claimed to be!" Tenchi laughed as he watched Ryoko's feet.  
  
Ryoko felt more at ease now that Tenchi had dropped his badge and gun beside Ryo-ohki who was still napping. They spent almost an hour laughing and making up new dance moves. Ryoko had never laughed like this. Tenchi never felt so free spirited. Together, the two of them were entertaining each other - the law and the criminal.  
  
End of Ch. 3  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~  
A/N: See? It's all coming together! Yay! 


	4. The Accident

Chapter 4 - Present Day Okiyama  
******************  
  
Washu emerged from her lab and mopped her brow with the back of her sleeve. Stretching, she expected to find everyone huddled in the livingroom as always. This time, though, Washu was all alone. She walked into the kitchen, scratching her temple. Everyone was sitting around the table with warm grins.  
  
"We wanted to show our appreciation, Washu-chan, for all you've done for Tenchi and Ryoko."  
  
Washu smiled brightly. True, since Ryoko and Tenchi were doing much better, she became her normal and cocky little self once more. She threw her head back and laughed heartily. "Surely you didn't doubt the abilities of the most brilliant genius in the galaxy! I am Washu-chan, after all!"  
  
Everyone sweatdropped until Aeka gently uncovered a cake. It was two layers and colored pink to suit a certain fuscia-haired scientist. Aeka wiped her hands on her apron and clasped them in front of her. "In any case, we just wanted to show our appreciation any little way we can."  
  
The young scientist seated herself on one of the bar stools and clutched the knife and smiled softly. "Well, let's try it!"  
  
Everyone sat around, just a bit more lighthearted than usual, for the first time.  
  
So what really happened in the present to Tenchi and Ryoko, you ask? Well, let's zoom back a few months:  
  
Tenchi sighed reluctantly as he shielded his eyes from the sun. Washu's new experiment was more of an upgrade for Ryo-ohki. The cabbit hid behind Ryoko's leg and whimpered as Washu flicked controls on her holo-computer. Beside the lake, metal prongs and gears shot from the ground and waved around in a menacing matter. This would be where Ryo-ohki would have to dock to be upgraded. Ryoko eyed the machine with more worry than curiosity.   
  
"Come on, girl!" Washu held out her arms for Ryo-ohki. "I promise you, this will not hurt one bit. If it hurts, Tenchi owes you a whole carrot patch just for you!"  
  
"Hey, Washu! I never agreed to anything!" Tenchi waved his arms around.  
  
Washu shot Tenchi a silencing glare before tossing Ryo-ohki into the air. Upon reflex, the cabbit became a ship. Pointing to the docking area, Washu led Ryo-ohki to the machine which widened it's arms, ready for her landing.  
"Ryoko, go inside and control Ryo-ohki." Washu commanded.  
  
"I don't trust that thing any more than Ryo-ohki does!" Ryoko pointed and glared.  
  
The pint-sized scientist put her hands on her hips "Hey now, silly girl! If anyone's going to be injured, it'll be Ryo-ohki!"  
  
"MYAAAAAAAA!!!!" Ryo-ohki jolted in the machine's grasp.  
  
Ryoko hissed and vanished into Ryo-ohki.   
  
"Done!" Washu flashed a peace sign.  
  
"Pardon?" Aeka gave Washu a confused look.  
  
"It's done! Don't you listen?" Washu pointed at Ryo-ohki.  
  
"But, Miss Washu..."  
  
"Hey!"  
  
Aeka smiled softly, "Washu-chan, nothing happened."  
  
Washu stepped over to the arms of the machine "Well you see, the ends of these arms have data chips which are implanted within the ship's crystals. It's virtually painless, kinda like getting a gentle pinch and the procedure is done!"  
  
"I see. And this will allow her to fly better?" Aeka gazed with newfound interest.  
  
"I don't see why not!" Washu continued circling the machine.  
  
"I wonder if you could upgrade Ryoko and teach her some manners." Aeka covered her mouth and giggled.  
  
Out of nowhere, a beam shot from Ryo-ohki's ship, headed straight for Aeka. The princess activated her shield long before impact. A holographic screen appeared before Washu and Aeka. Ryoko laughed. "Well that works!"  
  
Washu shook her head and smiled to herself while Aeka narrowed her eyes. Before the two girls could start a fight, Washu stepped between Aeka and the ship. "That'll be all, Ryoko."  
  
The deamoness tried to leave the ship when it jolted one last time. From the inside, Ryoko was pinned to the seat while Ryo-ohki kept jolting.   
  
"Washu!! What's happening?" Tenchi stepped forward.  
  
"I don't know, but Ryoko is trapped..." Washu turned her serious gaze towards her holo-computer where she typed frantically at the keys.  
  
Tenchi ran towards the ship with worry. Without notice, Ryo-ohki took off. Tenchi gripped the side of the ship before he was absorbed into the ship. He hit the floor of the ship with a painful thud. Picking his head up, he saw Ryoko, restrained, against the seat. "Ryoko! What's wrong?!"  
  
"Ryo-ohki's controls are out of whack!" She fought against the seat, trying to stand up and reach the controls.  
  
Washu watched in horror and held out her hand. "Everyone... get down..."  
  
Everyone hit the ground and covered their heads as Ryo-ohki exploded in the air. Washu shot up from the ground and watched in horror at the ship fell in pieces. Pieces far to small to be human bodies. Ryoko phased out of midair and hit the ground hard. With her last bit of energy, she held onto Tenchi and phased out of the ship just as it exploded. A moment later and they would both be nothing more than dust, falling to the ground. Unfortunately, she did it too late and they were badly injured.  
  
Feeling totally at fault, Washu took them both into her lab and shut herself in for almost a week before she even communicated with everyone else in the house. When she finally faced them, she had nothing more to say than "I don't know if they'll make it...". With that, she disappeared back into the lab.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Months later, they were all fine and no one was mad at Washu - not that they ever were. But she finally smiled with them as they shared cake and laughed over old album pictures of the family on Christmas.   
  
"They'll be more than fine by this Christmas, I swear it." Washu smiled softly.  
  
"We know they will, Washu-chan." Noboyuki patted her shoulder.  
  
With that, Washu turned around and left to go back to the lab.  
  
End of Ch 4  
~~~~~~~  
A/N: I hope that cleared something (if anything) up! ~.^ Stay tuned! 


	5. Tenchi and Ryoko's Love

Chapter 5 - 750 years earlier   
  
"Oh no way!" Tenchi laughed and slapped his knee. "There's no way it's possible!" The two had moved from the bar and had walked along the strip until they were by the lake a few miles away from the hustle and bustle of the city. They talked about everything from the weather to the latest crimes committed. Ryoko quickly changed the subject to something, realizing that she was the cause of most of the crimes. They found they had so much in common, they even laughed at the same time about things.   
  
"Oh? I'll prove it!" Ryoko stood to her feet and balanced an empty shotglass on the tip of her pointer finger. The glass lingered there, balancing on her finger before Ryoko vanished out of nowhere, leaving the glass still lingering for a moment before starting to fall. Before the glass could hit the ground, Ryoko caught it, but it was completely filled with Sake. In her hand, she held up the bottle and laughed. "Are you a believer?"  
  
"Woah!" Tenchi jumped up and inspected the glass. "You're fast!"  
  
Ryoko laughed for a moment, but then got deathly silent as she watched Ryo-ohki walk by the water. It wasn't that she was upset, but thinking of something. Another risk for the night. She wanted to do it since they started talking about homes and love, but she hesitated knowing that the night could end up with her being lonely - or worse - in prison. Thinking a moment before turning to say anything, Ryoko tucked the long hair that draped over her shoulder behind her ear so that she could listen to the wind blow. Fixated on Ryo-ohki, Ryoko turned to Tenchi who was staring at her in concern.  
  
While Ryoko had fell into her own thoughts, Tenchi watched her with the sort of affection one would give his girlfriend if she had just announced that she loved him. Without really saying the words, he felt that she had said it in her actions. Perhaps not what she was feeling, but enough to make him see her in a way that he shouldn't see anyone but Kozue. He felt bad, standing there, watching Ryoko's body glow in the moonlight. The wind from the river whipped through her hair and she looked like an angel standing a field. A troubled angel. It hurt him more to watch her looking so far off and saddened by her thoughts. When she turned to lock eyes with him, he realized that he had been staring at her the whole time. A blush rushed to his face and he looked towards the river where Ryoko was once looking.   
  
"If you didn't have anything planned for the night, maybe you'd like to come for a ride in my ship..." Ryoko lowered her gaze so that she was watching the moon bounce off the blades of grass as they danced in the wind.  
  
Tenchi smiled softly. The boy wasn't a complete idiot, though he was stupidly falling in love with the girl that stood before him with a childish look of hope on her face. She nibbled her bottom lip so that her fangs were exposed but were no threat as they only held her bottom lip in place. "I'd be glad to go, Ryoko." Tenchi stood with his hands at his side, well aware that he had blown Ryoko's cover.  
  
"I don't even know why I tried to hide my identity from you." She blushed again.  
  
"Maybe you just wanted to be pursued by a male for once and not have it result in being arrested." Tenchi pulled his shirt over his badge and smiled softly at her. "I'm sure you were aware of who I was."  
  
"Another officer, but something more..." The space pirate rested her hands on her hips and walked towards Ryo-ohki. "Definitely something more..."  
  
The ship was surprisingly bigger from the inside than it was on the outside. Tenchi studied the large windows. Large enough to be considered the walls of the ship. The front was Ryo-ohki's screens. Crystals floated about, idly as if they were a common sight amongst common man. Ryoko was unfazed by her surroundings, but Tenchi stood with his jaw on the ground and gazed at Ryo-ohki's architectural splendor. He'd probably never see another ship like this in his life. The floor was made of metal. He wondered where Ryo-ohki hid all of this stuff. He stomped on the floor a few times as a hover chair appeared from nowhere. He circled the seat, in awe of how it floated on it's own. Ryoko was amused by Tenchi's childish awe of her ship.  
  
"It's not the best ship in the world, but it gets me places." Ryoko cradled a crystal and smiled softly.  
  
Tenchi stood before Ryoko in the silence of the ship. No humming, no blips or zooms or machine sounds - none, just Tenchi and Ryoko breathing. That made him nervous and intrigued all at the same time. Never once did Kozue pass his mind, that he had solemnly promised himself that he would not let his opportunity to become closer to Ryoko pass him.   
  
Ryoko stood, unguarded before him. As vulnerable as if she were standing naked in a large room. The feeling didn't make her uneasy, she had felt it before in every man she attempted to seek love in. Though, this time, the feeling felt more vivid. Covering herself with her arms, she watched as Tenchi take a few more quick glances around the ship.  
  
When Tenchi finished staring around the ship, he turned to face Ryoko this time, unafraid of her catching him staring. She looked as vulnerable as she felt. He could see the layers of guards she'd put up, slowly stripping away from her until she stood, just Ryoko, in front of him. It made him feel bad to see her stand so naked in front of him, but a silent resolve within him made him feel like he had to cover her back up with something better than all those painful guards. He'd have to replace them with love. It wasn't such a hard job for him. He already loved her.  
  
Without saying a word, Tenchi extended his hand for Ryoko to take it. She didn't even hesitate to gently rest her hand in his. The sun was already rising and neither of them were remotely sleepy. Tenchi breathed deep and pulled Ryoko into his embrace for the first time. Burying his head in her hair, he took in the exotic scent of floral shampoo that Ryoko used to wash her hair with. His hands trailed down around her waist and he held her as if he'd never let go.  
  
In return, Ryoko slid her arms under his and gripped his shoulders tightly, hoping that this feeling of completion would never fade away. She rested her forehead against his shoulder and closed her eyes, praying to some god - any god to keep him from leaving her.   
  
The sun was now peaking over the mountains of Costa Florista, but Ryo-ohki dimmed her lights and drew the shades so that Ryoko and Tenchi could share their night just a little longer. As the two fell deeper into each other, they both knew this night would never end, if they didn't let it...  
  
End of Ch. 5  
~.~.~.~.~.~  
A/N: Aah! La'mour! *swoon!* *-* 


	6. How Quickly They Fell In Love

Chapter 6  
  
With the curtains pulled open, Tenchi could make out the sky perfectly from Ryo-ohki's windows. True, it was night, and he'd given himself to Ryoko more times than he could count. After a while he stopped counting and just concentrated on running her libido dry so he could relax. The gentle deamoness slept soundly on his arm with her arm wrapped around his waist to make sure he didn't leave. During their something-teenth time of making love, Ryoko had cried out "Don't leave me...". It broke his heart, and he vowed never to leave her.   
  
The cloudless night gave way to a full moon, so large it seemed to take up the whole sky. With all the lights in the ship off, the moon was their only source of light. He stroked Ryoko's hair with one hand and rested the other behind his head. He'd be gone for two days soon, but the only thing that seemed to bother him was leaving Ryoko's side and not seeing her. Kozue, not even his grandfather, could change the way his heart beat for Ryoko. The way it skipped a beat when he felt her exhale on his chest.   
  
Closing his eyes, he promised himself that he'd go tell his grandfather and Kozue that the wedding wouldn't happen because he wasn't proposing. He'd kneel before his grandfather back at their shrine where his mother was buried and confess to him that he's done wrong and brought shame to the family as well as the Bounty Air Elites. He swore that he would lay down his badge for the sleeping form beside him. Now all he had to do was go through with it.  
  
~.~.~.~.~.~.  
750 years later  
~.~.~.~.~.~.  
  
There was silence in the lab when Washu held her breath to slowly draw the IV from Ryoko's arm. She did it so slowly that the Space Pirate, herself, turned her face in discomfort as she was responding to most stimulation now. Though she wouldn't open her eyes, she was sleeping more than in a coma now. Sometimes Washu would flash a light in her eyes to see the response from her pupils. Ryoko would try to shut her eyes once more as her brain tried to make her body fight to get away completely.   
  
Ryoko lay in a larger bed. Tenchi lay in the same room off to Ryoko's right. The little scientist hovered over his arm a bit before pulling the IV from his arm the same way. Tenchi barely responded, but Washu smiled softly as he turned his head away and inhaled slowly. Today would be the day she left them there to heal on their own. After seven months of hovering over them as if she were breathing for them, they were two coma patients in their last days of their coma. Ryoko's scars were already clearing.  
  
Without ever turning her head, Washu waved her hand for Tsunami to enter the room. The goddess' eyes brimmed with tears as she gazed over the two, laying in their beds looking as if they were napping peacefully. With a glance from a hopeful Washu, Tsunami leaned over and pressed her forehead to Tenchi's. There was a brilliant stream of light between their foreheads as Tenchi's symbol lit up and shined brighter than Tsunami's. When she pulled away, Tenchi's brown symbol stayed on his forehead.   
  
"How is he?" Tsunami drew back and placed her hand over her mouth as Sasami did when she was nervous.  
  
Washu checked his pulse. "He's just asleep now. Shhh, let's let them sleep. They should be awake tomorrow."  
  
Tsunami exhaled slowly and pulled the blankets up around Tenchi's neck. "Thank you so much, Washu. Thank you for everything you've done for Tenchi and Ryoko."  
  
Washu brushed Ryoko's bangs back and stared lovingly at her daughter. "Don't thank me for saving the lives of people I care for." She placed a finger to her lips and snapped the lights off as Tsunami and her walked off to alert the others.  
  
~.~.~.~.~.~.  
750 years earlier  
~.~.~.~.~.~.  
  
"Ok OK OK OK OK. You have to wait here!" Tenchi released Ryoko's grip on his shirt and gazed into her eyes. A day of procrastination to tell his grandfather turned into a week. A week turned into two weeks. Tenchi and Ryoko spent days going everywhere and doing everything - legally of course. He held Ryoko close one last time to embrace her and leave a passionate kiss on her lips to remember him by while he'd be gone for the whole day. He begged her not to do anything illegal. She grinned with a hint of mischief as she crossed her heart and vowed to just cruise around and meet back when he called her.  
  
Now Tenchi sat outside the dock of the bar where Ryoko and him met at Costa Florista. Unfortunately, his ship had been taken from the dock and he had to catch a taxi from there to Bounty Air Elites Headquarters. He'd finally built up enough courage to face off with his expecting girlfriend and his worried family. They'd yell and scream and curse and cry, but they'd all be happy to see each other. He'd bid Kozue farewell and kiss her hand the way she liked one last time. He hoped that would be the way it would go. Knowing Kozue, Tenchi would end up with a huge knot on his head he couldn't show to Ryoko.  
  
In the taxi, he glanced back at Ryoko who had vanished. He figured she went into the bar to get something to drink. Lowering himself into the cab, he rehearsed what he would say to his grandfather and Kozue over and over again, though it seemed to change every single time. Tenchi wasn't good at pulling himself out of situations. His tongue would tie and he'd end up stumbling over words until he said enough stupid things to be waved away by an angry hand.   
  
Wantanabe Tenchi signed in at 10:04 am to Bounty Air Elite Headquarters. When a few friends inquired as to where he had been he just said "Heaven" and walked away as he smiled. He seemed to stand straighter and walk with a little more bounce. His pants seemed looser as he strolled down the hall to his grandfather's office with his hands in his pockets. He was nervous, but he was in love. It seemed the two couldn't compare.  
  
When Tenchi slipped into his grandfather's office, the man had his swivel chair turned with his back to the door and he was gazing out a window. Tenchi could tell he was stroking his beard with one hand and clutching his chair with the other - a sign that he was worried about something. As Tenchi cleared his throat, his grandfather turned his chair around so that they were now facing each other. There was a moment of silence.  
  
"Miboy..." His grandfather almost whispered.  
  
"Grandfather..." Tenchi now felt all the doubt rushing back to him as his love for Ryoko was thrust aside but not forgotten. "I hoped we could go to mother's shrine and speak for a bit."  
  
"I wouldn't want to worry your mother with such excuses as the one you're about to give me for your unexplained absence." The Commander frowned slightly.  
  
Tenchi sat down in the chair he always sat in, but it felt different. He shifted but the whole world seemed to look different sitting in the chair that he once sat in while he had his mind and life made up for him. He'd sit in that seat and take in all his grandfather's wisdom as a guideline for how he should live. But the chair represented all that he was forsaking now, and it hurt him to say what he wanted to say. So he decided to tell the truth without telling the WHOLE truth. "Grandfather, I met someone I feel I love dearly. And she has not driven me away from my assignment, but brought me closer to finding out the true enemy we're seeking. I've spent my whole life living the way you wanted me to live to bring you honor and great pride, and I don't want to rebel. But I want to love her."  
  
His grandfather leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. He meditated on his grandson's words before he asked the dreaded question. "Who is this girl that's changed my grandson's life so drastically?"  
  
Tenchi almost died in his seat when he heard the question. If a man ever sobbed, it was because he was in a situation so bad he would rather lose his manhood over the consequences of opening his mouth. He became that nervous. He tried to steady his leg while he formed the words to say "Ryoko", but, instead, "Just a girl..." came out. He prayed it was enough.  
  
His prayers were not heard.  
  
"Some girl?" His grandfather arched a brow. "Must be some master thief to steal the heart of an elite officer and make it her own. Someone so skillful that she could win your heart in two weeks and change your life so very drastically. I must..." The commander listened to his own words as Tenchi went pale.  
  
End of Chapter 6  
~~~~~~~~~~  
A/N: *drops to her knees and places her hands on the floor and bangs her head on something hard* I'm sorry I stopped it like this! But I have to... oh you'll see! 


	7. And How Quickly They Forgot

Chapter 7  
  
  
  
Tenchi decided to resist talking and just drop his head. For some reason, he felt his grandfather was about to breathe fire. He saw an echo billowing through the halls, so powerful, that it could level the building. He'd never seen his grandfather that upset, but there was a first for everything.  
  
"Oh Miboy... how could you?" The Commander sounded hurt and confused, like a wounded puppy. He frowned so that his bushy eyebrows almost covered his eyes and he lowered his head low enough that the sun caught it at the right angle and bounced off the silver streaks in his hair. "Miboy... what possessed you?"  
  
Tenchi dropped to his knees regardless of whether he was in the shrine or not. He placed his hands on the floor in front of him and lowered his head. "She's not as bad as she seems, a genius in a class that's far too basic for her will only cause trouble."  
  
"And so we'll place her in a more challenging class, the prison." The Commander sounded sadder than before.  
  
"No, Grandfather. Listen. A person can be perfect bad... but they can be perfectly good as well. Perhaps all she needed was someone to show her how to live properly, as you've done for me all my life. If she were to do anything from this point, it would be my fault. Grandfather, you're wisdom is all I live by. If your wisdom was good for me, it will be good for her too. All anyone ever needs is love to be better." Tenchi felt his eyes stinging as his heart pained him to see Ryoko alone by herself as Tenchi and his grandfather conversed.  
  
"The most dangerous criminal in the galaxy, and the highest ranked officer in the galaxy as one?" The commander laughed and shook his head "You don't get more confusing as that. Miboy, I'm proud of you for being as bold as you are. Granted, I still need to sort out all this new information in my head, but I'm happy that you're happy, and I trust that this girl will cause no more trouble under your care. She's almost like a child of yours now. Don't let her out of your sight, she's still a wanted criminal, after all." Standing to his feet, the Commander held open his arms to embrace his grandson in a caring hug.  
  
Tenchi patted his grandfather's back and thanked any god listening for his grandfather's deep understanding of love. After all, he'd married a girl that his family was against him uniting with. Standing just as straight and walking just as bouncy, Tenchi smiled at his recovered ship and drove towards his apartment.  
  
Tenchi knew that facing off with Kozue wouldn't be so simple. The woman was a walking complex. Everything was too right, too wrong, too big, too small, to this and too that for her. Tenchi wondered how she even managed to pick out an outfit and go out to dinner with him when he asked her to.   
  
In the darkness of the apartment, Kozue stood beside a window so only that part of her face would be illuminated. She had been crying. Tenchi wondered if he even had a right to ask her what was wrong. He reached for a napkin as he crossed the kitchen to take something to her to dry her eyes. Leaning against the opposite side of the windoframe, Tenchi gently wiped the tears from the girls eyes. The eyes that didn't even raise to see his face. She looked more guilty than upset that Tenchi had left her behind without more than a glance that morning two weeks ago. They sat in the same silence that him and his grandfather sat in back at the office.  
  
There was silence in the house, then there was footsteps. Tenchi and Kozue stood completely still, but the footsteps stopped at the door when Hein leaned his naked body against the frame of the bedroom door. "Hey Kozue where's the..." He looked up at Tenchi.  
  
Tenchi glanced at Hein, and quickly glanced away as Kozue closed her eyes to let a new set of tears fall from her eyes. Saying no more, Tenchi took Kozue's hand and slowly kissed the back of it like she always loved. The girl pulled her hand from him and cradled it against her chest as her weeping turned to sobs. Tenchi glanced at Hein once more, dropped the engagement ring on the table and left the apartment with the same grace he entered. That was much easier than he thought.  
  
It never occurred to him that Ryoko wouldn't meet up with him in a most surprising manner. Tenchi drew his fingers across the control panel, taking a few boxes with him. They were saved data files of messages Kozue sent to him where she would sing or tell him something really sweet. Something that would remind him that he loved her at one time or another. Now they were all trashed along with messages and pictures of him and Kozue or him and Hein. He left his screen looking rather empty and miserable, but decided to cut a picture of Ryoko's face from a wanted picture so that all you could see was her face and post it where he could always see it. She was laughing in the wanted picture, it always made the poster seem out of place. Sort of like those posters you take in sticker machines that have the Wanted background. Ryoko seemed happy and her eyes twinkled as if she never had more fun in her entire life. It made Tenchi wonder if she would give up that kind of life for her.  
  
Ryoko fought with herself for over an hour before giving in and tracking Tenchi's ship. She would surprise him and they'd fly somewhere together and just talk or kiss or cuddle or make love. She didn't mind as long as she was beside him again. Clutching her skirt just a bit, she slowly gave Ryo-ohki the codes to hack into BAE's ship database and get Tenchi's IP so that she could track him. She figured if it was in the name of love, it wouldn't be so bad. A contented grin passed her lips as Ryo-ohki pulled up Tenchi's codes with ease and locked onto her target, which wasn't so far away.  
Tenchi walked his fingers up and down the arm of his chair and thought about going back to Costa Florista, but he thought that maybe he should stop and buy Ryoko a gift for waiting so patiently. As soon as he thought of it, he laughed to himself. What do you get for the girl that has everything and steals everything she doesn't have? You'd give her your heart and then you'd secure it with a ring. The ring he bought for Kozue was all wrong. He'd find the perfect ring for Ryoko and bring it back for her with the perfect proposal.  
  
It would be a few hours before Ryoko expected him back, Tenchi found a jeweler that sold him a ring with a beautiful teardrop diamond in the center. True, she'd probably owned more valuable things, but if it meant something to her, it would be invaluable. Practicing his lines a million times in his head, Tenchi turned his ship towards Costa Florista and held the ring box in his lap.  
  
Ryoko had reclined in her seat, expecting the ride to take much longer before she picked Tenchi up on her radar. She glanced at the machine, amused and stopped so that he wouldn't pass her. Just as she hoped, Tenchi stopped right in front of her. A smile spread across his own face as she came up in his viewer.  
  
"Tenchi!" Ryoko's eyes lit up. "I've missed you!"  
  
"I've missed you!" Tenchi pressed his hand against the screen, hoping to at least feel her from so far away. "Can you come inside my ship??"  
  
No sooner did he finish up the question did Ryoko phase through the wall of his ship with Ryo-ohki in her arms. The cabbit jumped to the ground when Ryoko wrapped her arms around Tenchi and embraced him gently. Tenchi closed his eyes and made a mental picture of Ryoko before pulling away from her. "I want you to promise me something."  
  
Ryoko gave him a sympathetic look and nodded "I will. Anything."  
  
"Promise me that you'll never stop loving me ever. Even if something happened and I was far away, promise me that you'll never stop loving me and I'll never stop loving you." Tenchi gently gripped her hand as he gazed into her eyes.  
  
"Oh Tenchi! I promise!" Ryoko threw her arms around his neck and kissed him with enough passion to wear honeymooners out.  
  
Tenchi thought the flashing lights and loud alarms were just the fireworks going on in his head. He then realized that his ship was under attack.  
  
"DON'T MOVE! WE HAVE THE PURSUED RYOKO SURROUNDED!"  
  
Tenchi searched his pockets for his badge so he could activate it, but he remembered he left it back in his office, thinking he'd be thrown off the force once his grandfather found out about Ryoko and him. He dashed over to the panel to input a manual code that would alert the officers that his ship wasn't stolen.   
  
"WE WILL OPEN FIRE IN THREE SECONDS IF YOU DO NOT COME OUT WITH YOUR HANDS UP!"  
  
"Tenchi! I'll turn myself in! Get out of here! Take Ryo-ohki!" Ryoko pleaded.  
  
"No... No way!" Tenchi panicked as he started punching any kind of buttons.  
  
"TARGET LOCKED. FIRE!"  
  
It was all they heard before everything exploded around them. Tenchi held Ryoko close as she tried to phase out, but she was distracted by the ring falling from Tenchi's hand. Tenchi was dead, but Ryoko had just enough to keep going. She demolished all the ships in a fit of unforgivable rage. She demolished everything she saw until she sat alone in space, sobbing like a lost child. It was then that the ring floated beside her. She slipped it onto her engagement ring finger and held it close to her heart.  
  
She didn't hear it. The ship coming. There was another band of ships out to seize the offender. Ryoko didn't even bother fighting this time. Bound in the back of the ship, Ryoko could hear all announcements from the intercom in the ship. Men celebrated and clinked glasses full of frothy beer as she sat, helpless, in the back of the ship.   
  
"Attention all officers. The wanted Space Pirate Ryoko is not to be seized, pursued or confronted as this warrant for her arrest is now voided. I repeat: The wanted Space Pirate Ryoko is not to be seized, pursued or confronted as this warrant for her arrest is now voided."  
  
Ryoko's blood ran cold as the officers turn to gaze at her. They all whispered amongst themselves as they all agreed that the best way to be rid of her was to get rid of her for good. With evil grins, all the men transferred to another ship while the last activated the self destruct mechanism. Sure, Ryoko could phase out of the ship. She could call Ryo-ohki to blast a hole into the ship and retrieve her. She could even blast herself out of there, but she sat there with her eyes closed slightly as she listened to herself breathe. She promised never to forget her love for him. She swore she'd love him forever and he swore the same. She hoped to kiss this world goodbye and be with him wherever that may be. The explosion was just another forgotten instance in space as no other life was around for lightyears. Not even hers.  
  
She swore she had died, the pain was more than she could bear as she stripped away her guards and shields to let the ship's explosion destroy her. Explosion? What explosion? Ship? Ryo-ohki lay beside her, licking her wound. Wound? What wound?  
  
A tall man with jaundiced eyes glanced down at her from his little red glasses. His greyish hair remain tied back and his body, hidden by a full-length cape. "Ryoko?" His voice seemed almost like that of someone who cared.  
  
She squinted into the light as her eyes focused on this man, and she realized that he was not smiling but sneering at her. She turned her head to gaze at her metallic surroundings. Grand pillars and flowing water adorned each side of the cold and unfriendly looking ship. A large organ was off to the left and a throne sat in the center in the back of the room. Ryoko turned to look at the man again. This time, she was struck by fear.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"I am Ryoko a Space Pirate."  
  
"Who do you work for?"  
  
"I work for Kagato."   
  
"Good..." The man in the cape walked away with no care for her in the world.  
  
The last thing Ryoko remembered was ravaging a planet for it's goods. She balled her fist and punched the air. She balled her other fist and did the same. She was Ryoko the Space Pirate. Climbing off the metal bed, she punched and kicked a bit more. Satisfied that she was in shape, she sat down and looked gloomily around at her surroundings once more. Unaware of anything that happened in the past few weeks, Ryoko continued her physical training under Kagato's harsh ways.  
  
The man tossed a teardrop diamond ring into the vaporizer and walked away.  
  
End of Chapter 7  
~~~~~~~~~~  
A/N: ;_; 


	8. Present-Day Okiyama Meets Past Lovers

Chapter 8  
  
In present-day Okayama where our story now closes, Tenchi and Ryoko have recovered from one of Washu's deadly experiments.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The living room was full of activity as everyone piled on top of each other to push their way through the small door of Washu's lab. It was confirmed that Tenchi and Ryoko were waking up and everyone wanted to dash in to welcome back. The scientist pushed herself against the other side of the door as to hold it closed, but soon replaced herself with a stone statue of her figure there instead to do the job. The worried scientist wanted to make sure Tenchi and Ryoko were awake before anyone disturbed them. With a sigh of relief, Washu slowly advanced to the room, hoping that all went well with Tsunami and Tenchi's exchange.  
  
From the way the room was set up, Ryoko's bed was positioned so that one could glance into the open door and see her laying in bed. Normally, she'd be sleeping with her head turned away from the window that Washu created to allow a bit of sunlight to come in. She clutched her blankets and slept as peacefully as anyone would.   
  
Ryoko wasn't in her bed.  
  
Washu rushed over to the door and braced herself against the frame before relaxing and then turning away in a blush.  
  
Ryoko was kissing Tenchi.  
And  
Tenchi was kissing Ryoko back.  
  
Washu put her hands to her face and tried to cover her blush. Ryoko hadn't heard the commotion, nor did Tenchi. Her mind raced a mile a minute with a million thoughts of how this could happen or how Aeka could respond or how this could happen or how AEKA WOULD RESPOND! The little scientist would've dropped dead right then and there if she didn't have to break the two up.  
  
Clearing her throat with as much dignity as she could muster, Washu wanted to alert Tenchi and Ryoko that she was coming in, but they paid no attention to her as Tenchi laced his fingers in Ryoko's.   
  
Washu tried clearing her throat a little louder this time, adding a cough just to make it just a bit louder.   
  
There was no response.  
  
"RYOKO!" Washu stomped her foot.  
  
The deamoness slowly opened her eyes and pulled away from Tenchi slowly but sadly. She turned to gaze at Washu with an innocent look on her face.   
  
"I'm glad to see you're doing well." Washu turned away and lowered her voice.  
  
Ryoko blinked a few times and then glanced at Washu. "My head..." She gently placed her hand against her head as if to show Washu where the trouble was coming from.  
  
Washu rested her hand against Ryoko's forehead. "I'm hesitant to run tests on you so quickly, but I think something may have happened when you were in a coma. How did all of this come to be?"  
  
Ryoko took Washu's hand and calmly placed it onto her mother's lap. Washu sat, cross-legged and closed her eyes, readying herself for the story.  
  
"I woke up a little before the sunrise this morning and realized that I had been in a bed that wasn't my own. Of course, I shot up and glanced at my surroundings. All the tanks of life forms from other dimensions kinda gave it away." Tenchi glanced at a tank with a fish with two tails.  
  
Ryoko turned to face the sun. "I was already awake, sitting in bed, a bit in shock from the things I remembered. I heard Tenchi shuffle in bed, it was then I realized that he was on the room. We kinda just stared at each other, thinking that I was the only one who knew about the past, and he thinking he was the only one."  
  
Washu nodded slowly. "But how did you..." she pointed to Ryoko and arched an eyebrow "manage to let him let you get in his bed? Is what I want to know."  
  
Tenchi blushed and glanced in Ryoko's direction. "When we noticed that we were in the same room and we just stared, I took notice of the tears in her eyes and the wet streak of tears down her face. I felt like I saw that face somewhere. It's only then that I believed that what my coma let me see was the truth. They were the same eyes I saw before the ship exploded." He reached out and gently brushed the side of her face with the back of his hand. "I asked her to come to me, and she did."  
  
In the moment, Washu's motherly instincts took over and she started to grin before she caught herself. She thought of a thousand motherly things she'd say, but none of them seemed right in the moment. "And you two found out bout the shared dreams, how?"  
  
"He asked me what was wrong and I told him that I had a dream about a promise that couldn't be kept." Ryoko pressed her face against Tenchi's hand. "And he said he never went back on it. After that we just..." The deamoness laughed softly.  
  
"That's when you came in, Washu-chan." Tenchi smiled at Ryoko.  
  
As if it was almost killing her to do it, Washu climbed onto the bed and clapped her hands excitedly. "My my! What do we have here! Ryoko! I haven't given you that speech about growing up yet!"  
  
Ryoko glared at Washu. "And you won't!"  
  
The three laughed before Washu became silent. "I want to apologize..." She looked serious.  
  
"For doing what you do best? No amount of apologizing would justify. People make mistakes. And it's not like we're dead or anything." Tenchi rested his hand on her shoulder. "No one's mad at anyone, ne Ryoko?"  
  
"It's because of you that we've remembered something so important..." Ryoko smiled softly at Washu. "Though... if you can find a less painful way next time, I'd appreciate it."  
  
Tenchi exhaled slowly. "I lived a life... so many lifetimes ago. One where I promised Ryoko something... I should be thanking you for that, Washu."  
  
Washu cleared her throat.  
  
"Washu-chan." Tenchi sweatdropped.  
  
The scientist glanced at him. "You were able to visit your past and view memories of promises you have yet to keep. It's a karma-dream." She turned to gaze at Ryoko. "Ryoko..."  
  
"When the ship exploded, I couldn't remember." Ryoko held her head and shut her eyes. "I tried to, but I just couldn't remember." Her body trembled as her mind continued to flash the new and frightening memories.  
  
"Everything jolted your memory, the explosion... it was like reliving the past. Tenchi's case too... the same thing happened to him." Washu sat beside Ryoko.  
  
"When I was in the coma, I could see the way that I was in the past. It makes me thankful that I'm able to live for the future." Tenchi took Ryoko's hands from her head and held them close to his heart. "I remember the promises I have to keep. That promise that I made almost nine lifetimes ago. I can truly say, I've loved Ryoko forever."  
  
Washu didn't know whether she should laugh or cry or sing or even spit. The news came new and all so random to her. Even linking with Ryoko couldn't allow her to see what Ryoko couldn't - as it shouldn't. The memories were suppressed and hidden behind grief and pain. Now they were able to try again for the love that was wrongfully taken away from them. "What about everyone else, how should I tell them?"  
  
"Everyone?" Ryoko look perplexed. "Everyone who?"  
  
Tenchi scratched his head "We have others here?"  
  
Washu's face turned ghostly white as the two continued to question her about the other people in the house. "Aeka, Sasami, Noboyuki, Katsuhito and Mihoshi! You don't remember them?!"  
  
"For the life of me, I can't remember who they are..." Ryoko raised a brow.  
  
There was silence in the room until Tenchi fell over laughing. "OK OK we know we know! I don't know what I'm going to say to them." He looked at Ryoko "Maybe we should lay low until we find the right way."  
  
"Perhaps..." Ryoko looked hurt.  
  
Washu glared between the two before turning to let everyone in. "Don't DO that! It's not funny!"  
  
"The look on your face was hilarious to me." Ryoko giggled and turned to kiss Tenchi quickly before everyone piled into the room to cry and fawn of them.  
  
Love can be the most complicated thing on this earth to figure out. Especially because it comes in many shapes and forms. Love can be said to be good or bad, right or wrong or even healthy or unhealthy... in the end, love is better left undefined. It'll take more than a lifetime just to figure it out.  
  
Tenchi turned towards the moonlight with Ryoko wrapped in his arms after everyone had went to sleep that night, now aware of how long it had taken him to keep a promise he had felt rising since he saw her sleeping in his bed the night she escaped from the cave.  
  
Tenchi may never be able to correctly define love, but at that moment, it meant nothing but sharing a million lifetimes with Ryoko.  
  
END! @}---/-----  
  
Author's Notes:  
  
Notice I didn't focus on most other characters but Tenchi and Ryoko because I wanted to develop them as two lovers instead of Tenchi and the gang. I find that a lot of fics today involve a "how would Aeka/Ryoko react" part and, sometimes, you just don't need it. I can't tell if I needed it here, but I like to leave something to the imagination.  
  
For the life of me, I can't understand why I want to write a lemon chapter for this, but I definitely won't, as I suck at lemons and am too bashful to type "penis" without falling over and cackling like an immature child with one of her mother's romance novels.  
  
Tenchi's grandfather (the commander) wasn't Yosho, because I wanted Tenchi's life to be completely different from the one it is. Also, that would be dumb to make him his grandfather if Yosho was still kickin it on Jurai with Aeka.  
  
I chose 750 years into the past because it was right before Ryoko attacked Jurai and was sealed in the cave. I changed the years from 300 to 750. I hoped to mend the two times together gradually through chapters, it caused a bit of confusion, but I'm sure you caught on.  
  
I do NOT own Tenchi Muyo! or any of it's characters. Tenchi Muyo is a product of AIC and Pioneer.   
  
Thanks for reading! ~.^ 


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